Power plant for oil-burners



M. W. NEWCOMB.

POWER PLANT FOR OIL BURNERS. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 31, 1919.

1,372,186, Patented Mar.22,19 21.

Flfll' 4 SHEETS-SHEET I.

M. W. NEWCOMB.

POWER PLANT FOR OIL BURNERS. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 3|. I919.

1,372,186. Pawnwd 22,1921.-

4 SHEETSSHEET 2.

M. W. NEWCOMB.

POWER PLANT FOR OIL BURNERS. APPLICATIQN FILED MAR. 31, 1919.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4- Jwaerz? 2 Patented Mam.22,1921-.-

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MAR/ON W. NEWCOMB, OF GLENELLYN, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO OIL-FUEL HEAT AND POWER 00., OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MARON W. NEwooMB, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of Glenellyn, county of Dupage and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Power Plants for Oil-Burners, of which the following is a specification.

The main object of this invention is to provide a practical, eflicient, and economical method of burning low-grade heavy fuel oil, without the many difficulties incident to usual methods. Further objects of this invention are to provide 'animproved unit power plant for use in supplying oil and air to an oil burning heater; to provide an improved construction and arrangement of a motor, an oil pump, anflair compressor and a blower, so designed that they are adapted to be compactly assembled upon a single support and occupy the minimum amount of space; to provide an improved construction of a pump for delivering the oil to the burner at a predetermined rate of flow without pressure; to provide improved means for regulating the action of said pump so as to control the rate of flow of the oil; to provide an improved construction and arrangement of an oil nozzle and an air nozzle forming an atomizer adapted to break the oil jet into a finely divided spray before being delivered to the place of ignition; to provide an improved construction and arrangement of a hood for said atomizer and connection thereof to the blower; to provide an improved switch mechanism adapted to control the operation of said motor; to pro-v vide improved mechanism, thermostatically controlled, for actuating said switch mechanism; and to provide improved means adapted to stop the operation of the plant in case the fire goes out.

An illustrative embodiment of this invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a side elevation of an improved power plant embodying this invention.

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the same.

Fig. 3 is'an enlarged detail view illustrating the relative arrangement of the atomizer within the air hood.

Fig. at is an enlarged detail, partly sectional, of the atomizer removed from the hood.

Specification of Letters Patent.

. Patented Mar. 22, 1921.

Application filed March 31, 1919. Serial No. 286,619.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged vertical sectional detail of the oil pump.

Fig. 6 is a detail of the same, as viewed 'mechanism by which the operation of the plant is controlled. 1 Fig. 10 is a top plan of the construction shown in Fig. 9.

Fig. 11 is an end view of the same, taken on the line l1--11 of Fig. 9. 1

Fig. 12 is a sectional elevation taken on the line 12--12 of Fig. 10.

Fig. 18 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the arrangement of the circuits which, through the action of the thermostat, control the energization of the magnets which control the operation of the switch mechanism.

Fig. 14 is a detail view of the crank to which the air compressor connecting rod is attached.

Although Fig. 8 illustrates an arrangement of this invention with a furnace, its use is in no wise limited to such structures but may be applied to any type of oil-burning heater. 7

The particular power plant shown herein involves the use of an electric motor 1, a blower 2, an oil pump 3, and an air compressor 4, compactly arranged and mounted ona frame or support 5 and adapted to have the operation thereof controlled by switch mechanism 6, which in turn is controlled by a thermostat 6 (Fig. 13) located in the place being heated by the furnace.

The motor 1 is electric and may be of any of the usual types constructed for use with alternating or direct current, depending upon the circumstances.

The blower 2 likewise may be of anysuitable design and is preferably arranged in axial alinementwith the motor 1 and directly connected thereto.

The oil pump 3 comprises a casing 7 having a plurality of channels 8 extending therethrough and in each of which a pair of pistons 9 and 10 are reciprocatingly arranged in opposed relation to each other. The pistons 9 are connected by separate connecting rods 11 to a crank shaft 12 mounted in bearings 13. The pistons 10 are provided with rods 14 on the lower ends thereof which extend through guideways 15, formed in an adjusting member 16. Springs 17 embrace the rods 14 and bear between said adjusting member 16 and the pistons so as to normally urge the latter toward the pistons 9. 10 Stems 18 are formed on the inner ends of the pistons 9 and are of such a length that during a part of the stroke of the respective pistons 9, depending upon the adjustment of the pistons 10, said stems are adapted to engage and shift the pistons 10. Cushions 19, formed of leather or other shock-absorbing material, are arranged on the ends of the pistons 10 for the stems 18 to strike against and thereby prevent injury which might 20 otherwise occur through the abutting of the pistons together. The adjusting member 16 has the stems 20 and 21'the-reof threadingly engaged with pinions 22 and 23 respectively. These pin- 25 ions are rotatably mounted below the pistons 10 and are connected together by a pinion 24 so as to be simultaneously rotated by a pinion 25, meshing with the pinion 22 and adapted to be controlled by a key or crank 26. The shifting of the member 16 through the rotation of the pinions 22 and 23 adjusts the capacity of the pump by determining the point in the stroke where the pistons 9 engage the pistons 10, thus ending the effective stroke of the pistons 9 and thereby regulating the quantity of oil which is supplied to the burner. I Such adjusting means makes it possible to regulate the flow of oil while the plant is running and enables the operator to observe the effect of increasing or decreasing the qwantity of oil.

Inlet ports 27 and outlet ports 28 are formed in the casing 7 so as to communicate with the chambers 8 intermediate the ends 150f the pistons 9 and 10. Suitable valve mechanisms 29 and 30 are arranged in the ports 27 and 28 respectively so as to properly control the passage of the oil into and out of the chambers 8.

This construction of the oil pump provides for an accurately measured supply of oil without pressure and when, during the pumping of the oil, it is necessary to force heavy parts of the oil through the burner head at a desired uniform rate, said construction also provides for a sudden rise in pressure sufficient to accomplish this purpose.

The air compressor 4 comprises a cylinder 31 mounted below and at one side of the pump 3, wherein a piston 32 is reciprocatingly mounted and connected by a connecting rod 33 andcrank pin 35 to a crank 34. carried by the crank shaft 12. A series of threaded recesses 36 are formed in the crank 34 to receive the crank pin 35 so as to allow the stroke of the piston 32 to be adjusted as occasion may demand.

in air tank 37 is secured to the under side of the support 5 and is connected by suitable pipes so as to receive air from the C01T1- pressor 4 and deliver the same to the burner under pressure, as will be more fully hereinafter explained.

The crank shaft 12 is connected to the mo- 7 tor 1 through the medium of the gear 38 and pinion 39 and pulleys 40 and 41 connected by a belt 42. The relative diameters of the gear 38 and pinion 39 and of the pulleys 4H and 41 is such as will give the desired reduction in speed from the motor 1 to the pump 3 and compressor 4.

The switch mechanism 6 by which the operation of the plant is automatically controlled. comprises a double push-button 8 switch. the construction of which is well understood and is therefore not herein illustrated. except by the outline of the casing 43 within which the parts are mounted. The operation of the switch is directly controlled by a reciprocating member 44 connected at 45 to one push-button of said switch and having its outer end slidably supported at 46 on the bracket 47. The member 44 is normally urged by a sprin 48, hearing between the face plate 49 of the switch casing 43 and a yoke 50 secured to said member. to cause said push-button to close the circuit. The retraction of the member 44 for the purpose of causing the push-button to open the circuit is effected by means of the co-action of a pawl 51, carried by said member. and a shoulder 52, arranged on an eccentric 53 on. the crank shaft 12, as will more fully hereinafter appear.

The shifting of the member 44 is controlled by pairs of magnets 55 and 56 which are mounted on the face plate 49 of the switch..below and on opposite sides of said member 44 and which actuate arinatures 57 and 59. The armature 57 is supported at one end on trunnions 58, and the armature 59 is likewise supported on trunnions 60. The arma-tures 57 and 59 are normally urged by springs 61 (Fig. 9) out of contact with 11 the respective magnets 55 and 56.

The armature 57 has an arm 62 extending rearwardly therefrom and terminating in a lug or shoulder 63, which is adapted to engage the lower end of a lever 64 pivoted at 65 and having its upper arm 66 located so as to engage a finger or shoulder 67, pivotally connected at 68 to the yoke 50, for the purpose of holding the member 44 in its retracted position. A spring 69 normally urges the finger 67 against the arm 66 of the lever 64 so as to insure engagement wh the member 44 is retnacted.

When the magnets 55 are e crgized. the armature 57 is shifted so as to cause the lug amass 63 to disengage the'lever 64, whereupon the member 44 under the action of the spring 48 is allowed to shift outwardly. In order to facilitate and insure the disengagement of the finger 67 from the arm 66'of the lever 64, when said lever is released from the lug 63, a shoulder (F ig; 12) is formed on the lever 64,slightly rearwardly of the arm 66, so that as the lever 64 is swung backwardly under the tension of the spring 48, said shoulder 70 will engage the finger 67 at a point rearwardly of its contact with the lever arm 66 and throw the finger 67 up wardly, out of contact with the lever arm 66.

The armature 59 carries a pin 71 at its upper end which normally bears against the end 72 of the pawl 51, when said pawl is in its retracted position as shown in Fig. 10. When the armature 59 is shifted under the influence of the magnets 56, the pressure of the pin 71 against the end 72 of the pawl 51 causes the pawl 51 to be shifted against the action of the spring 51.1 (to a position indicated in dotted outline Fig. 10) so as to move the end 54 of said pawl into the path' of the shoulder 52 on the eccentric 53, so that, through the co-action of said parts the member 44 is retracted against the action of the spring 48 sufiiciently to cause the finger 67 to engage the lever arm 66 and be thereby retained in its retracted position until the lever 64 is released, as hereinbefore explained. The lever 64 is normally urged by a spring 64.1 into a position to be engaged by the shoulder 63 on the finger 62.

The thermostat 6', by which the energization of the pairs of magnets 55 and 56 is controlled, comprises a thermostat member 73 of the usual construction connected in circuit with said magnets and with an auxiliary switch 74 and arranged to engage contacts 75 and '7 5.1, for closing one or the other of the circuits. (See Fig. 13). The auxiliary switch 74 is arranged on the face plate 49 so that the movable member 76 thereof is adapted to be 7 engaged by a shoulder (as for example the yoke 50) on the shiftable member 44 for the purpose of retracting said movable member 76 from its normal engagement with the terminal 77. The terminal 77 is connected to the magnets 56 and the terminal 78 is connected to the magnets 55. It will thus be obvious that when the shiftable member 44 is retracted, the circuit to the magnets 55 is closed, except at the thermostat, which under the influence of a decreasing temperature, as would naturally take place when the plant is not in operation, would shift so as to cause the member 73 to engage the contact 75 and therebycompletely close the circuit through said magnets and result in a release of the member 44, as hereinbefore explained. Likewise, when the member 44 is in its extended position the circuit through the magnets .56 is closed, except at the thermostat 7. Thus when under the influence of an increasing temperature, which would take place after a perlod of operation of said plant, the member 7 3 is shifted to engage the contact 75.1 and the circuit through the magnets 56 is completely closed, which results in a retraction of the member 44 as hereinbefore explained.

The improved form of burner, to which this plant is designed to furnish fuel, comprises a hood 79 of T-shaped form, within the transverse part of which the atomizer 80 is arranged. The hood 79 is located within the fire-box of the furnace 81 (Fig. 8) and is connected by a conduit 82 to the blower 2 of the aforesaid power plant. The end of the top part of the hood, opposite that to which the conduit 82 is connected, is closed by a plug 83. This arrangement of a hood and atomizer provides an annular air space around the atomizer through which cool air is constantly passing with the result that air and oil nozzleslare kept cool. Furthermore the volume of air rushing through said space keeps the flame away from said nozzles thereby protecting them from excessive temperature. ing T-shaped insures a better delivery of air to the annular space between the atomizer 80 and the hood than does a construction which deflects the air more directly to said annular space, as would be the case with an L-shaped hood.

The atomizer 80 comprises an L-shaped fitting 84 having channels 85 and 86 formed in the two legs thereof, and directly con nected by suitable conduits or pipes 87 and 88 to the oil pump 3 and compressor 4, which conduits or pipes are arranged within the conduit 82 as indicated in Figs. 3 and 8. Tapered members 89 and 90, having channels formed therein, are driven into the. fitting 84 toward each other from right angles, so that their ends are brought close- 1y adjacent to each other. The tapered member 89 is driven into the fitting 84 crosswise of the channel 85 and has an aperture in the side thereof, which provides communication between said channel 85 and that formed in said tapered member 89. The tapered member 90 is driven into the fitting 84 in an axial direction relative to the channel 86.

The arrangement of the atomizer within the hood 79 is such that the tapered member 89'is horizontally disposed and the tapered member 90 is vertically disposed. Thus the oil issuing from the end of the tapered member 89 is broken up into a fine spray and blown downwardly, toward the deflector plate 91 in the bottom of the furnace by means of the jet of air issuing from the tapered member 90. Adjacent to the lower end of the hood is a pilot light 92, which is r The hood beconstantly kept lighted so as to provide for Ehe automatic ignition of fuel to start the In order to guard against the accumulation of unburned oil, if for any reason the fire should go out, an automatic cut-out is provided. This automatic cut-out, as herein shown (Fig. 8), comprises a knife switch 93 which is connected in the circuit leading to the motor 1. The blade of the switch 93 is pivoted at 93.1 and is shiftable into and out of engagement with a contact 93.2. A plunger 94, shiftably mounted in a cylinder 95, is connected to trip 94.1 which engages an arm 93.3 of the blade 93. The cylinder is connected by a pipe 96 to an opening in the bottom of the deflector 91. The weight of the plunger 94 normally holds the trip 94.1 in the position shown, but if a quantity of oil should be allowed to drop on the defiector 91, it would trickle down through the opening 97 in the deflector 91 and through the pipe 96 into the cylinder 95 and would result in an elevation of the plunger 94 operating the'trip and allowing spring 93.4 to open the circuit.

The operation of the device herein illustrated is in general as follows:

Assume that the plant has been stopped for a period of time, so that the temperature of the place to which the heat is being supplied has decreased sufiiciently to cause the thermostat member 7 3 to shift and close the circuit to the magnets 55. As hereinbefore explained, the energization of the magnets .55 would result in a shifting of the member 44 to cause the push-button to close the circuit to the motor 1, whereupon the plant would be set in operation and cause a delivery of oil and air to the burner in the furnace. As the oil issuing from the member 89 is broken up into a spray, it is ignited by the pilot light 92. The plant continues the delivery of fuel to said burner until such time as the temperature at the place to which the heat is being supplied has increased sufiiciently to influence the thermostat member 73 and cause it to shift to close the circuit to magnets 56. As has also been hereinbefore explained, the energization of the magnets 56 will cause the retraction of the member 44 and result in an opening of the circuit to the motor 1, whereupon the plant will discontinue the delivery of oil and air to the burner.

If during the operation of the plant it is found necessary to increase or decrease the quantity of oil supplied to the burner, the key 26 may be rotated for the purpose of shifting the member 16 so as to adjust the position of the pistons 10 and thus increase or decrease the efiective stroke of the pis- 1 tons 9.

Although but one specific embodiment of connecting said pump and compressor to said motor.

2. In a power plant of the class described the combination of a support, a motor and a blower mounted on said support in axial alinement with each other and directly con nected together, an oil pump and an air compressor arranged on said support at one side of said motor and blower, and a crank shaft connected to said pump and compressor and to said motor.

'3. In a power plant of the class described the combination of a support, a motor and ablower mounted on said support in axial alinement with each other and directly connected together, an oil pump and an air compressor arranged on said support at one'side of said motor and blower in substantially the same plane parallel to the axis of said motor and blower, and a crank shaft for operating said pump and compressor disposed substantially parallel to the axis of i said motor and blower and connected by gearing to said motor.

4. In a power plant of the class described the combination of a support, an electric motor, a blower, an oil pump, and an air compressor compactly arranged on said support with said motor and blower directly connected together in axial alinement, and with gearing connecting said pump and compressor to said motor, switch mechanism arranged adjacent to a moving element of said plant, a member included in said switch mechanism normally urged to close a circuit to said motor, coacting parts on said member and said moving element adapted to retract said member for causing said switch mechanism to open said motor circuit, and means for controlling the action of said c0- acting parts.

5. In a power plant of the class described the combination of a support, a motor, a blower, an oil pump, and an air compressor compactly arranged on said support with said motor and blower directly connected together in axial alinement, and with gearing connecting said pump and compressor to said motor a conduit leading from said blower to the-furnace, and feed pipes connected with said oil pump and said air compressor and located within and extending along said conduit.

6. In a power plant of the class described the combination of a support, a motor, a blower, an oil pump, and an air compressor compactly arranged on said support with said motor and blower directly connected together in axial alinement, and with mechanism connecting said pump and compressor to said motor, a conduit leading from said blower to the furnace, feed pipes connected with said oil pump and said air compressor and located within and extending along said conduit, a hood located on the end of said air conduit, and an atomizer arranged within said hood and connected to said oil and air feed ipes.

7. n atomizer for oil burners comprising a one-piece l -shaped fitting having channels formed in each of the two legs thereof, and tapered members driven in through openings formed in the respective legs of said lL-shaped member toward each other from right angles and having the ends thereof arranged closely adjacent to each other, said tapered members having axially disposed channels formed therein," communicating with the channels in the respective legs of said l.-shaped member.

8. An atomizer for oil burners comprising an l..-shaped fitting having channels formed in each of the two legs thereof, tapered members driven in through openings formed in the respective legs of said L-shaped member toward each other from right angles and having the ends thereof arranged closely adjacent to each other, said tapered members having axially disposed channels formed therein, communicating with the channels in the respective legs of said L-shaped member, a hood of T-shaped form arranged to inclose said fittingso that said tapered members are located in the stem part of said hood, and a conduit connected to one end of the other part of said T-shaped hood.

9. In a power plant of the class described the combination of a support, an electric motor, a blower, an oil pump, and an air compressor compactly arranged on said support with said motor and blower directly connected together in axial alinement, and with mechanlsm connecting said pump and compressor to said motor, a conduit leading from said blower to the furnace, feed pipes connected with said oil pump and said air compressor and located within and extending along said conduit, a hood located on the end of said air conduit, an atomizer arranged within said hood and connected to said oil and air feed pipes, a switch con nected in circuit: with said motor, an oil receptacle, a float in said receptacle connected to control said switch, a deflector below said atomizer having an opening in the bottom thereof, and a conduit leading from said opening to said receptacle whereby oil falling onto said deflector unconsumed will shift said plunger to cause said switch to open the motor circuit.

10. An atomizer for oil burners, comprising a fitting having channels formed therein, a pair of tapered members having channels extending therethrough supported on said fitting'at right angles to each other with their ends arranged closely adjacent and with the channels therein communicating respectively with the channels in said fitting, and a hood of T-shaped form arranged with respect to said fitting so that the stem part thereof provides an annular air space surrounding said fitting.

11. In a power plant of the class described, the combination of a support, a motor, a blower, an oil pump and an air compressor, all arranged on said support and provided with operating means connecting said motor to said blower, pump and air compressor, a

- conduit leading from said blower to a fur nace, and feed pipes connected with said oil pump and said air compressor and extend ing alongsaid conduit into said furnace.

12. In a power plant of the class described, the combination of a support, a motor, a

'blower, an oil pump and an air compressor,

all arranged on said support and provided with operating means connecting said motor to said blower, pump and air compressor,-

a conduit leading from said blower to a furnace, and feed pipes connected with said oil pump and said air compressor and logated within and extending along said conuit.

13. In a power plant of the class described, the combination of a support, a motor, a blower, an oil pump and an air compressor, all arranged on said support and provided with operating means connecting said motor to said blower, pump and air compressor, a conduit leading from said blower to a furnace, feed pipes connected with said oil pump and said air compressor and located within and extending along said conduit, a hood arranged on the end of said conduit within the furnace, and an atomizer arranged within said hood and connected to said feed ipes. 14:. A evice of the class described, comprising an air conduit adapted to connect with a blower and extend into a furnace, a pair of feed pipes located within and extendin along said conduit, and apair of channeIed tapered members arranged at right angles to each other at the inner end of said conduit and connected to the respective feed pipes.

15. A device of the class described, comllll prising an air conduit adapted to connect with a blower and extend into a furnace, a pair of feed pipes located Within and extending along said conduit, a T-shaped hood 5 secured to the end of said conduit and having the stem thereof extending transversely to said conduit, and a pair of channeled tapered members arranged at right angles Within the stem of said hood and connected respectively to said feed pipes. 10 bigned at Chicago this 12 day of March, 1919.

MAR-ON W. NEWCOMB. 

